Description

6th-grader Jessie Lou is deeply, madly, passionately in love with Conrad Parker Smith. Too bad she's a tomboy with only one on-again, off-again friend, and hair so short you can't spit on it. Too bad he's the most popular boy in their small-town school. But then Conrad hurts his leg and suddenly can't keep up with his old pursuits anymore. Jessie Lou and Conrad start spending a lot more time together, but she can't help wonder -- is she just a substitute friend? And will Conrad forget her when his leg brace comes off and he's king of the school once again?show more

About Phoebe Stone

Phoebe Stone is the beloved and acclaimed author of several novels for middle grade, including The Romeo and Juliet Code, which was hailed by the Boston Globe as quite simply the best novel for young readers . . . since Harry Potter and the Sorcerer s Stone. She received four starred reviews for The Boy on Cinnamon Street, and another star for her novel Deep Down Popular. Booklist awarded a starred review to Romeo Blue, the follow-up to The Romeo and Juliet Code, calling it compelling, and with plenty of heart and soul. Phoebe and her husband live in Middlebury, Vermont."show more

Customer reviews

Ever since they were in second grade, Jessie Lou has been in love with Conrad Parker Smith. Conrad had a glow about him that called to people, that drew everyone towards him and made them want to be his friend. As far as Jessie Lou thinks of it, Conrad is just deep down popular, right to his bones. With her beanpole body, scruffy boy's clothes, and shorn hair that she just chopped off with scissors one day because she felt like it, Jessie Lou knows that she would never be in the same league as Conrad.
A new brace on Conrad's leg changes all of that.
Now that he's had to quit the soccer team and can no longer keep up with the popular kids, Jessie Lou finds herself in the unfortunate position of having to help Conrad home from school. She, Conrad, and awkward tagalong Quentin Duster become the Lewis, Clark and Sacajawea of West Taluka Falls, striking a solid friendship that makes Jessie Lou the happiest girl in the world.
Can that friendship survive an experimental operation that could fix Conrad's life for good?
Although I was initially put off by the grammatical idiosyncrasies and dialect present throughout the book, I grew to find them endearing to Jessie Lou's character. She has an inspiring, quiet presence that makes the story, and any reader who has never liked the feel of dresses, connect with her.show more